Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice to Extend the Comment Period on the Proposal to List the Klamath River Population Segment of Bull Trout as an Endangered Species and Columbia River Population Segment of Bull Trout as a Threatened Species

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AE29

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Notice to Extend

the Comment Period on the Proposal to List the Klamath River Population

Segment of Bull Trout as an Endangered Species and Columbia River

Population Segment of Bull Trout as a Threatened Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) gives notice that

the comment period announced in the June 13, 1997 proposed rule (62 FR

32268) to list the Klamath River population segment of bull trout as an

endangered species and Columbia River population segment of bull trout

as a threatened species will be extended. The Service received a number

of requests for additional time to complete the compilation of

information and meaningfully participate in the process. The Service

finds the requests to be reasonable and hereby extends the comment

period for 65 days.

DATES: The comment period is extended until October 17, 1997. Any

comments and materials received by the closing date will be considered

in the final determination.

ADDRESSES: Comments and material concerning this proposal should be

sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Snake River Basin Field

Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 368, Boise, Idaho 83709. All public

comments and material received will be available for public inspection,

by appointment, during normal business hours at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Ruesink, Supervisor, Snake

River Basin Field Office (see ADDRESSES section) (telephone 208/378-

5243; facsimile 208/378-5262).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On June 13, 1997, the Service published a proposed rule pursuant to

the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) to list the

Klamath River population segment of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus)

from south-central Oregon as endangered; and the Columbia River

population segment of bull trout from the northwestern United States

and British Columbia, Canada, as threatened. A special rule allowing

take of bull trout within the Columbia River population segment in

accordance with applicable State fish and wildlife conservation laws

was included. A 60-day comment period ending August 12, 1997, was

provided in the proposed rule. Five public hearings to gather

additional input were held between July 1 and July 17, 1997 in

Portland, Oregon; Spokane, Washington; Missoula, Montana; Klamath

Falls, Oregon; and Boise, Idaho. Requests for a public comment period

time extension were received from the Idaho Congressional

representatives, Governor of Idaho, Governor of Oregon, and the

Intermountain Forest Industry Association. Reasons given for these

requests included complexity of issues, additional time to meaningfully

participate and data collection is incomplete.

The Klamath River population segment, comprised of seven bull trout

populations from south-central Oregon, is threatened by habitat

degradation, irrigation diversions, and the presence of non-native

brook trout. The Columbia River population segment, comprised of 386

bull trout populations in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington with

additional populations in British Columbia, is threatened by habitat

degradation, passage restrictions at dams, and competition from non-

native lake and brook trout. Included in the proposal to list these

population segments is a special rule allowing for take of bull trout

within the Columbia River population segment in accordance with

applicable State fish and wildlife conservation laws and regulations.

[[Page 42093]]

Pursuant to a court order, the proposed rule is based only on the 1994

administrative record. All available information, including current

data, will be considered prior to taking final action on the listing

proposal. If, after consideration of all available data, this proposal

is made final, it would extend protection of the Act to these two bull

trout population segments.

Written comments may now be submitted until October 17, 1997, to

the Service Office in the ADDRESSES section.

Author: The primary author of this notice is Steve Duke (see

ADDRESSES section).

Authority

The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act, as

amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

Dated: July 28, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 97-20540 Filed 8-4-97; 8:45 am]

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